Several ancient Jewish sites in Prague, including the Alt-Neu
Synagogue, the Pinchas Synagogue and the Jewish Museum,
suffered an estimated $4 million in damage following floods
that inundated parts of Europe last week. A plane from Israel
arrived in the Czech Republic on Sunday with detergent
materials for the restoration of Jewish sites that have been
flooded with sewage water.
According to initial reports many of the buildings in the
Jewish Quarter sustained extensive structural damage, but
valuable contents were removed on time and brought to higher
ground for safekeeping. The water level in the Alt-Neu
Synagogue--built below street level based on the verse
"Mima'amakim kerosicho"--reached halfway to the
ceiling, leaving it soaked with water and mud. The ancient
Pinchas Synagogue (also called "Pinkas"), which contains a
plaque bearing the names of Czech Jews who perished in the
Holocaust, also sustained damage.
Floodwaters reached the Jewish cemeteries and the
Theresinstadt concentration camp, outside of Prague, as
well.
Many elderly Jewish residents were evacuated from their homes
and transferred to a Jewish retirement home, and Israeli
tourists were evacuated from hotels in flooded parts of the
city. Most travelers planning to fly to Prague cancelled
their reservations.
In the east German city of Dresden, a beis knesses
also suffered heavy damages after being rebuilt just one year
ago to replace the beis knesses burned to the ground
on Kristallnacht.
Prague is the home of the oldest kehilloh in Central
Europe and one of the oldest in all of Europe, with evidence
of a Jewish presence in the city as early as 970, when two
kehillos were set up. One arrived from the Ottoman
Empire in the east and the other from Germany, Holland and
France. Approximately 100 years later Crusaders slaughtered
Jews and forced others to convert. In the middle of the 12th
century, following a large fire, the Jews moved to the Right
Bank where they built a beis knesses.
Despite persecution and degradation--including a requirement
to wear a badge--the community grew and developed into a
major Torah center. In the 13th century the Jews built the
Alt-Neu Synagogue, whose name suggests two different
interpretations: "On Condition," since the Jews supposedly
used a stone from the Beis Hamikdash in its
construction "on condition" that the stone be returned to
Jerusalem when the Redemption arrives, or "Old-New," because
it was renovated after a large fire destroyed most of the
building.
By the 11th century Prague was already the home of prominent
talmidei chachomim, including Rav Menachem Ben Mochir,
son of the brother of Rabbenu Gershom Me'or Hagoloh. Prague's
leading Torah scholars were in constant contact with Baalei
Hatosefos and some even studied in yeshivos in Germany and
France. To the east the chachomim of Prague also
forged ties with Jewish communities in Russia and Poland,
assisting them in efforts to disseminate Torah. In the 13th
century Rav Yitzchok Ben Moshe, author of the Or
Zoru'a, lived in the city.
During subsequent centuries the Jews' fate shifted from
persecution, blood libels and expulsions to economic
flourishing. Following each period of prosperity and
accumulation of wealth an expulsion was decreed, forcing them
to leave their assets behind. In the meantime important
yeshivos were started in Prague, drawing young men from all
of Europe.
The turn of the 17th century was the golden age of Prague
Jewry. Government authorities showed tolerance and Torah
learning reached a high level. During this era Prague
residents included the Maharal, the Shloh Hakodosh and Rav
Mordechai Yaffa, author of the Levushim.
In 1521 (5302) the first Hebrew book printed in Europe
(outside of Italy and Turkey) was printed in Prague and later
several handsome and important volumes were printed in
Prague.
Improved relations with the Jews eventually led to distancing
from Torah study and Yiddishkeit. In 1782 the Emperor
published a Letter of Tolerance that offered Jews equal
rights on condition they adopt last names, serve in the army
and cease the official use of Hebrew and Yiddish. In 1852 the
Jewish ghetto was abolished and was mostly demolished at the
end of the century.
Prague's last rov was Rav Yechezkel Landa, author of the
Noda BeYehudo, who battled against the Enlightenment.
After his demise a wave of secularism and sweeping
assimilation came crashing down on the Jews of Prague.
Most of Czech Jewry perished in the Holocaust and the small
kehilloh that gathered together after the war, again
faced persecution during the days of Communist control. Only
with the thawing of the Cold War and thanks to the tolerant
policy of Czech President Vaclev Havel did Jewish life in the
Czech Republic resume. Havel chose to help refurbish
traditional Jewish sites, converting them into top tourist
attractions. Havel visited the Jewish Quarter of Prague on
Sunday and expressed his condolences to the community.
In recent years a campaign was waged in Prague against the
destruction of a Jewish cemetery to make room for the
construction of an office building.
